Aren’t you sick of being seen as the naysayer?

There’s this cartoon/meme that has been floating around for a while demonstrating what many perceive a typical interaction between CEO and a CFO. It goes like this:

CFO asks CEO: “What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave us?” CEO: “What happens if we don’t, and they stay?

It’s used in many articles about the value of investing in team development and leadership. And incidentally paints the picture of how many perceive their CFO – as a naysayer.

CFO: “But I’m not a Naysayer!”

We can see, from our perspective as facilitators for many organisations, teams don’t get you.

We know why and how to fix it. See, they don’t get you because they don’t know you. Here’s a simple table to demonstrate.

Teams don’t see that you actually want the best for them!

Award Winning CFO, Paula Kensington FCCA, agrees.

“We CFOs are future-focused people. More often than not, that focus is on the organisations we are working for and how to optimize the big picture, rather than the team member in front of us asking for a stretch in the budget. This results in the CFO frequently coming off as the “bad guy” from all the naysaying”.

The Bottom Line: GET FINANCE OUT OF THE C-SUITE!!

Your effectiveness as a CFO is on the line if you can’t get the team behind your strategies. As in not just saying ‘yes’ but truly behind and helping them to be successful.

You know this. And the only way to really make this happen is by building strong working relationships in and outside of the C-Suite.

If you want real success you need to be part of the building, not just approving, initiatives that build Team Intelligence.

The Benefits (and we see this in organisations all the time)

You understand the people you are working with. This values, their reasoning for proposals, their WHY, so much so that you are on board and wanting them to win.

If you want your executive and teams to get on board with your vision and your strategies, they have to understand you. They have to understand that your intention is to future-proof the organisation which includes everyone in it.

The only way to do this is by including you in the team. Be part of initiatives and programs that build Team Intelligence– yes those ones you approve! And why do you approve?

Because you already know the value of investing in your teams and that professional development is critical for driving business outcomes.

You also know the risks: teams working in silos, lack of accountability, fixed mindsets, no fun or laughter, suspicion, mistrust, lack of creativity and innovation, good people leaving, bad people staying, low morale, margins not increasing, defensiveness and blame.

CFO: It’s Time to Include YOU in the Picture

It is critical for CFOs and their finance teams to include themselves in whole team activities, not just C-Suite and executive level programs to create the SuccessCulture and future you vision.

We know when teams as a whole can see each other’s unique perspective, talents and values, they have better working relationships, are be able to solve problems more effectively, are more productive and will work harder toward the organisational goals.